Caning for whanau apathy

A leading Maori educationist says many Maori parents simply do not care that their children are getting into trouble.

In Northland schools last year, Maori comprised 73 per cent of 346 suspensions and 70 per cent of 1238 stand-downs.

Te Reo o Te Taitokerau project manager Pita Tipene said Maori society had a lot to answer for in terms of allowing bad behaviour to go unchallenged.

"Bad behaviour is bad behaviour in any culture and many Maori parents either 'pretend it's not happening' or simply don't care when it comes to disciplining their children."

Education Ministry figures show Northland Maori suspension rates rose from 226 cases in 2002 to 254 last year - a contrast to the previous two years when rates had dropped significantly.

Northland's overall stand-down rate last year was 42 per 1000 students. The Maori rate was 63 per 1000 and most of the students stood down or suspended were male.

Mr Tipene said young male Maoris' bad behaviour did not encourage an education.

"I think there are social norms in that group that encourage certain kinds of behaviour, such as being aggressive and the utu [revenge] type of thinking.

"They're seen to be a 'man' if they act like that." Families needed to be more responsible for their children's behaviour, but schools were also "still trying to mould Maori into a British-based system that they can't fit into".

"Pakeha teachers struggle with what makes a Maori tick and the Government is starting to recognise the system isn't working but we need to do more."

The ministry has set up programmes for Maori suspension and stand-down rates, such as the Te Kotahitanga project taught at Kerikeri High School, Bay of Islands College and Okaihau College.

Ministry of Education Whangarei manager Chris Eve said the pilot project taught teachers how to understand their students' needs more clearly so the children, especially Maori, would take more of an interest in class.

He said the high figures for Maori suspension and stand-down rates were typical all over New Zealand, not just in Northland.

A stand-down is the formal removal of a student from school for a specified period, after which the pupil will automatically return to school.

A suspension is the formal removal of a student until a board of trustees decides to let the student back, extend the penalty or expel the pupil (if a child is 16 or older).

- NZPA